India’s hip-hop community has gained immense momentum over the years. From being concentrated and restricted to very specific parts of the country, there is now a much larger, diverse movement that is emerging in the wake of the new decade. This movement is fuelled and led by distinct and powerful voices with a finesse for storytelling and the skill to embrace the craft customised to local traditions and customs. Following suit is now an emerging breed of rappers and hip-hop producers from the South who are actively fostering a community that is rooted in local culture and heritage and at the same time, mindful of the stories that it aims to put out.
Kerala has been an active contributor to the evolution of India’s music movement. When it comes to hip-hop, the state has continued to produce diverse voices that are challenging society and rewriting the purpose of pop culture in contemporary society.
With more rappers and amateur hip-hop producers taking to the genre, online communities are emerging in order to provide a platform and a stage for performers to hone their skill and share it with the world too.
An Instagram page, ‘Purpvada’ is one such community that is actively promoting and spreading the purpose of the southside movement. The page that promotes artist releases, curates playlists and more has embarked on a new campaign in order to shed the limelight on the state’s emerging hip-hop producers.
Titled MBTFT (Malayali beats to freestyle to) this exclusive beat-tape is a compilation of distinct instrumentals produced by emerging producers that intersect film music, local sounds and colloquial Malayalam lingo for rappers to freestyle over.
This unique collaboration acts as a powerful online stage for not just producers to put out their work but to create a unique space for rappers and producers to creatively interact.
The beat tape is live here.
Follow Purpvada here.
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